People who live in and around Lake Isabella are sounding off about the new sirens supposed to warn residents about dam failure. While the sirens were successful some are wondering if they'll get the message to evacuate. After much anticipation and one false start the sirens in Lake Isabella blared to life today. While the un-nerving noise was relief to some, others weren't able to hear it at all.

They were loud standing outside, but they were not so alarming behind closed doors. Our Eyewitness News crew found that out while driving our car down Lake Isabella Blvd about a mile away from one of two new sirens. The warning sirens installed in the Kern Valley were tested Friday and are working, but some people are afraid they are not loud enough.

Jose Blanco was standing outside the Von's 0.8 miles away from the siren located at the Lake Isabella Senior Center and says he didn't hear a thing. He was just one of several people we met who didn't hear anything during the test. Which was causing a lot of concern for area residents. So, Eyewitness News wanted to know how far the sound of sirens is supposed to stretch. Deputy Chief Phil Castle of the Kern County Fire Department told us they will effectively warn people in a half mile or three quarter mile radius, but what about everyone else?
Deputy Chief Castle says they are also working on acquiring a reverse 911 to alert people in case of emergency on their home phones or even their cell phone.

For people in that half mile radius, the siren was loud and clear and for Isabella resident Frank Saso, it some offered a sense of security. Saso tells Eyewitness News "I feel so confident that I am moving in to the senior apartments which is in the lower part of Lake Isabella."

The sirens will be tested every Sunday at 1:30 P.M. If there was a real emergency the siren would be blasted for three minutes steady, four times in a row. Emergency alerts would also be broadcast by the local media, including Eyewitness News.